Online Reporter
Zimpapers Sports Hub
SABLES coach Piet Benade was instantly hit by a feeling of déjà vu the moment he set foot in Kumpala, Uganda.
Zimbabwe arrived on Saturday ahead of the Rugby Africa Cup, which starts this morning and runs until July 19.
“Lovely memories coming back here,” said Benade.
“I’m sure as we head into the streets and back to the field it will rekindle those positive emotions, so we are hoping that will help us.
“The preparations have been good; we have been fortunate to get a lot of the boys back who were here last year.
“Hopefully, the continuity and the spirit of the guys and the good memories from last year will keep the spirit high,” he said.
That was then.
Now, Zimbabwe officially kick-off their 2025 Rugby Africa Cup campaign with a cagey quarter-final match against Morocco at the Nelson Mandela National Stadium.
The match starts at 9am.
In the time since Zimbabwe’s arrival, Benade has kept his message clear and grounded.
“The boys are ready and they are in a good space,” he said after their final run-out yesterday.
“We have to turn up to the task at hand.
“There is no fanfare, no overblown promises — just an understanding that Morocco, their quarter-final opponents, are no easy task.”
Benade was not exaggerating when he described the North Africans as a physical side.
Morocco’s recent rise in African rugby has been fuelled by a growing base of French-based players, many of whom ply their trade in the forward-heavy, tactical heart of the French lower leagues.
That makes them efficient in the set piece, uncompromising in the contact area and tactically conservative — a combination that frustrates unprepared teams.
“Morocco had a very successful year in 2024,” Benade added.
“It will be up to us to match their physicality and accuracy. A lot of them are French-based and that comes with physicality and a lot of set pieces.”
That sense of perspective filters through the squad’s leadership, especially captain Hilton Mudariki, who will earn his 54th cap today — a remarkable achievement for a Zimbabwean player.
After leading the team in the captain’s run yesterday, Mudariki cut a calm, commanding figure.
“We had a great captain’s run and it was awesome being at the match venue, which is very good for the guys and keeping our spirits high,” he said.
“This is going to be a game with a lot of passion and we know that the North Africans will bring a lot of physicality. It is up to us to man up and front up to their play.”
But Mudariki is not concerned about emotion or outside narratives.
The Sables’ focus has been internal from the start, and their journey to Kampala didn’t begin last week — it started over a year ago, with meticulous planning, training blocks, and a clear objective.
“Mentally we have done all the work. This journey started last year and it continues. I feel like we had ideal preparations for this tournament.”
When asked about Zimbabwe’s label as tournament favourites, the skipper did not flinch.
“Yes, indeed there is always pressure,” he admitted.
“But as I have said over and over again, we are focusing on ourselves. We know exactly what we want to bring to this tournament. We can’t hide from the fact that we have a target on our backs, but the coaches and the players have prepared for this.”
There has also been a late arrival to the squad, a significant one at that.
Matthew McNab, based in England, arrived in camp late Sunday night.
Known for his acceleration and spatial awareness, McNab is a proven finisher and brings a new layer of attacking threat to the Sables’ backline.
Despite only linking up with the squad hours before their final run-out, he’s already settled in seamlessly.
A quiet professional, McNab is the kind of player who lifts the overall sharpness in training just by doing the basics with precision.
Morocco will look to impose their rhythm, slow the ball down, control the scrum and maul and frustrate Zimbabwe into forcing plays that are not there.
It is a battle Zimbabwe has prepared for.
The Sables have experienced men in the engine room, hard-tackling flankers, and a back row that knows how to keep the game flowing. In Hilton Mudariki and Ian Prior, they also have half-backs who can manage territory, tempo, and pressure — especially if the game goes deep into the final quarter.
For Zimbabwe, this quarter-final is more than a fixture.
It’s a chance to reaffirm their status, to stay in control of their Rugby World Cup destiny, and to prove once more that southern Africa’s most storied rugby nation is no longer looking to just compete — it is now looking to lead.
